Richard Hanstock

Barrister, Cornerstone Barristers

Richard is a public law barrister who enjoys applying the law to build and maintain sustainable communities. He advises and represents a wide range of public authorities, including local councils, government departments and police forces, as well as private individuals, companies and interest groups.

Having volunteered as a police officer for 13 years, Richard is well-equipped to provide highly practical and realistic advice alongside robust and persuasive advocacy inside and outside court. He has extensive experience of managing anti-social behaviour, disorder within licensed premises and persistent breaches of planning control, supporting clients to navigate challenging legal landscapes to achieve a just outcome for communities, businesses and individuals.

Richard is a deep specialist in the regulation of investigatory powers, including confiscation proceedings and police law. He is an expert in computer misuse and cyber security, building on his academic research on denial of service attacks at the University of Cambridge.

Richard serves as a reservist in the Royal Air Force, where he is working towards a commission in the RAF Legal Branch. He aspires to complement his public law practice by delivering operational legal advice to military commanders, contributing to the development of international legal doctrine on the role of cyber capabilities in hybrid warfare.

Contributed to

2

Acquisition, retention and disclosure of communications data under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains the how communications data can be lawfully obtained, retained and disclosed by public authorities under Part 2, Chapter 2 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016. It explains when communications data can be acquired without an interception warrant, the authorisations required for the acquisition of communications data, the safeguards in place to ensure that these powers are used appropriately and the offence of unauthorised disclosure of communications data.

Corporate Crime

Interception of communications under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains the power to obtain communication data by interception warrant under Part 2, Chapter 1 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA 2016). It explains the offence of unlawful interception of communications data under IPA 2016, s 3 which includes phone tapping or phone hacking) and explores what constitutes ‘lawful authority’ for the purposes of intercepting communications data. This Practice Note also explains the procedure for obtaining an interception warrant, a mutual assistance warrant or a bulk interception warrant and how intercepted communications can be used in legal proceedings.

Corporate Crime